Community Chat

[hopi]

The Winter Olympics are a rich kid game.  It takes a large amounts of monies to get to these facilities. Let alone, train.  It's not like track, swimming, basketball where you see an exceptional athlete with potential.  You can be poor as dirt and run around for free.

Just to go skiing , shooting or snowboarding is very expensive.   

Not a fan of the Winter Olympics and yes I understand the scoring in skating but if you cannot complete the task but all the judges know you can sorry - you should not get the gold.

Because we saw Tom Brady break throwing records at the superbowl and he still lost.  It should be the best during that game on that day or there is no reason to compete. 

[puttypiesmom]

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@Moonchildewrote:

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@sunshine45wrote:

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@Moonchildewrote:

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@Kachina624wrote:

I've been disappointed in the showing of the US athletes too.  I know winter sports aren't our speciality but I don't recall a time when the US performed so dismally.

@Moonchilde.  Last night they mentioned an athlete, don't remember who, who'd been living and training in South Korea, so it works both ways.

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@Kachina624 I’m sure it happens from time to time, but not as it happens in the US. The athlete you mention might have been living and training in So Korea for a short time, because the Olympics are in So Korea this time. But athletes in many different sports all come to train in the US year after year, regardless of where the Olympics are held.

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there are american athletes that hold dual citizenship, so they are eligible to compete for their other country.

it doesnt bother me that other athletes train here. they may not have the facilities or the coaching power in their own countries. for example, it is difficult for the jamaican bobsled teams to train in their own country. at least their being here brings in money/revenue to the USA. it really is no different than companies bringing in foreign workers to their companies......and then they send their earnings back to their home countries.

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I know all of that, I just don’t feel it should be allowed in the way it is now.  

However you look at it, we make it easier for other countries to win medals, and the thread title deals with disappointment as to why more Americans aren’t medaling. I believe this is a contributory reason.

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But in the end, the competitor who wins is the one with the best technical skill in the face of insurmountable pressure.  We get to see who is emotionally ready to win because having nerves of steel is no accident.  @Moonchilde

[Kachina624]

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@Isobel Archerwrote:

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@Mz iMacwrote:

@loveschocolate

Which is why I believe the scoring is not fair.  If a skater falls, points should be deducted somewhere!  I wouldn't mind if there was a tie after points are deducted.  If a tie, the 2 skaters should get to do a rematch if a medal is involved.  Or maybe, the judges rescore in case of a tie???

It's just my personal opinion... 

A skater who falls does not deserve a medal no mater how many times he or she spins in the air like an airplane propeller.

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You could have an artistic performance without doing jumps at all.  And if not falling were the primary criteria, that's what you'd probably get.

I think there is a place for skill and difficulty as well as artistic skating.

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@Isobel Archer. I believe the idea is to make a presentation aesthetically pleasing as well as technically challenging.  It's a balance and they're scored on both.

[VaBelle35]

Medal Ceremonies are online at NBCOlympics.com.  They are now showing the ceremonies on tv in their entirety, just snippets.

[VaBelle35]

I agree that getting more points for falling in wrong and the citizenship game needs to be looked at.

[qualitygal]

Yes, my DH and I were just saying yesterday that we haven't even seen the US in any competition this year.  I am sure some of it is due to the time differences. He mentioned the lack of medals.  Guess we'll just look forward to the summer olympics when they happen.  That's a shame.

[ms traditional]

looking forward to US women's hockey team going for gold!  surprising how the Olympic tv  ratings have declined like some other ratings.  viewing habits have changed a lot.

[chrystaltree]

Why would you think that?  This is the winter Olympics and the USA isn't strong in the majority of the sports.  We do much better in the summer games.  Also other countries support their athletes and have systems to identify athletes from a young age.  The USA doesn't do that.

[Isobel Archer]

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@VaBelle35wrote:

I agree that getting more points for falling in wrong and the citizenship game needs to be looked at.

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They are not getting more points for falling.  They are getting partial points for the attempted technical aspect they completed. It's not all or nothing.  Quads are significantly more difficult (and highly scored) than triples.  Skaters know this - it is not a mystery.  If they don't attempt quads, they forfeit the chance for the higher score.

[kaydee50]

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@Mz iMacwrote:

My qualm so far w/this Olympic is that ice skaters who fell during the medal competition(s) scored higher points than the ones who did not fall.  And to top it off, the ones who fell won medals!!!!

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Johnny Weir has repeatedly said that in the present scoring system it is better to try a difficult move and fall then do an easier one cleanly because of the higher value given to the more difficult moves.  Doesn't make sense to me either.  I think a bonus should be given for skating a clean performance!